First Page of the 366 Days Journey.

If we are to believe that what we do on 1st day of first month of any new year will repeat throughout the year, then the year 2012 meant a lonely year for me without much companions, often confronted by the harshness of external forces compelling to fast without a cause.

When I woke up in the morning today (I made my mind to wake up early starting the New Years Day but it was already 6:30a.m when I was awake), I did not feel the chill of morning air as I use to feel on other days. Looking through the window I found that the otherwise parched lawn appeared quite fresh and the air was humid with blanket of thick clouds over us. With a cup of hot coffee in hand, I walked on the porch contemplating the very first step of the year’s journey, sipping the hot coffee with the air of cosy environment.  Will it rain today? I thought. After all winter rains are not as interesting as those of spring. But at such a peak winter season it won’t rain, rather there might be a drizzle I comforted myself. Such a drizzle if ever poured will be a good omen for the year as we Buddhist consider such drizzles a flowery shower from heaven. 

The other day at the New Years Eve after taking the dinner, my friend and me discussed about how we should celebrate the New Year. Since we are, only two remainders left in the otherwise noisy three-storied hostel, partying the New Years Eve sounds odd and it won’t be of much charm if we do so also. Therefore, we decided to go to the city on the New Year’s Day and have a lunch in the restaurant.

 Actually, it was a good coincidence that New Years Eve falls on Saturday so one can rock the night until dawn and rest the whole Sunday. This might have happened with others but for me I waited for the New Year surfing net and then dosed off to sleep quarter past mid night with the mind to wake up early.

So at around 9:00a.m I called upon my friend and two of us as decided the other day went for roaming the town to seek the company of strangers on a warm foggy yet gloomy weathered New Year day. The sun never radiated its light down to earth the whole day. As soon as we reached the periphery of the town, it started drizzling. So two of us in haste rode on a rickshaw asking the rickshawahla to reach us to the nearest restaurant. The restaurant is some two kilometres far and no sooner did the rickshaw ride started than the rain poured in full velocity, after which the old rickshawahla too was fatigued in the rain to paddle harder, and two of us got totally drenched in wetness.

"It seems that the cyclone from Tamil has reached this far now. It’s not advisable to stay in the restaurant for a lunch in this condition." He told me so I with a nod we headed towards auto stand to reach back to the hostel which is some 8 kilometres. By then the intensity of rain has reduced and it was little comfortable though we were wet in and out. Therefore, our idea of taking a lunch didn't materialize. He suggested me to take either fish or chicken so that we can have our own supper in the hostel but I refused. Fish I don't like and chicken, I don't want to see them dying in agony in front of our eye.

 "We have enough vegetable in there, so let’s have a salivating kewa datse." I told him as we walked towards the auto stand. Two of us are on self catering since a month ago, my room serving a mini kitchen . Still raining but lightly. There wasn't much pedestrians and consequently only few autos were there. One was already packed and it was ready to leave, and other few, they were empty. So, we had to squeeze in the single auto which was already packed.

Fourteen passengers and the autowala. Indian traffic rule is so liberal but in times it’s beneficial for needy passengers. I was allotted an inch of the driver’s seat from the right side and my friend a same proportion from the left. As we travelled, it started raining harder and heavier again. Every drop of water from the cable fall unto me and with the splashes of rain from beneath, yet again I was totally soaked and I couldn't even sit. Same was the case with my friend but somehow we reached the campus.

So two of us rushed to the hostel, changed ourselves and we were to prepare a hot tea and then a delicious lunch, but unluckily there was no power. This is the problem here, rain comes, power goes. So, we were to go for fasting for no cause. All alone without much jolly I looked through the window reminiscing the summer days which I use to spent with parents back home during my childhood days. My friend seems frustrated and never came out of his room until 5:00p.m when he knocked on my door to ask me about dinner. I looked at the florescent tube. Outside it was still raining.